DIY Home Projects

With a little bit of paint, family photos, and frames from Michael's!

You'll want to steal ideas for your own bedroom.

Cabinets can really make all the difference in a kitchen.

This is a smart way to update chairs you've gotten tired of.

They call it a “cozy, Scandinavian cottage.”

It's so much more inviting now.

"The only thing I would do differently is I should've done this project years ago," the homeowner says.

This DIYer's first reupholstery project produced super charming results.

The after feels like a breath of fresh air.

And without outdoor space or a washer/dryer!

The before? "Tremendously ugly," says the homeowner—but she saw the potential.

These bird feeders are charming and easy to make,.

I have always loved the look of an origami lampshade — the simplicity and graphic nature makes it a statement piece in any home. When my friend Erin showed me her new book Paper Parties, I couldn’t believe how easy it was to replicate one of these at home, for a fraction of the price you will pay in the shop, and you get to choose any pattern you would like!

The new space will make your jaw drop.

The old laundry room was such an eyesore that it "quickly became the dumping ground for items we wanted to be hidden from our every day living space," the homeowner says.

Do you have a love/hate thing with your window A/C unit? Love overfloweth when it’s hell hot in the summer, and then the hate kicks in during winter when it’s nothing but an ugly appliance that lets in cold air. Let yourself get excited when it’s finally time to either: a) remove it from the window entirely; or b) cover that baby and forget about it for awhile. Store or Insulate Your Window Unit: The gaps around air conditioner units cause major energy loss.

TOP ROW:1. Before & After: A Trashed Curbside Dresser2. Before & After: An Unexpected Upholstery Project3. Before & After: Faux Snakeskin Table4. Before & After: Dresser Makeover5. Before & After: From Trash to Silk Screened Style BOTTOM ROW:6. Before & After: Ottoman Transformation7. Before & After: Salvaging a DIY Dresser Gone Wrong8. Before & After: Trash to Treasure Table in Just an Hour9. Before & After: Restoring a Solid Wood Desk10.

My love affair with mudcloth is well documented. If you are unfamiliar with the stuff, mudcloth is a somewhat heavy fabric, sewn in strips, and dyed naturally with mud. It usually has a graphic pattern of geometric lines and dots, in high contrast black and white. Given the process of making it, it’s no surprise that the real deal is also somewhat expensive.

This kitchen was so dark that you could hardly see what you were cooking at night.

While a coffee table is by nature low—the right height to set your drink (and perhaps your feet) without blocking the television—an attractive coffee table display will have subtly varying heights (as well as properly organized zones for decor and useful items like remotes and coasters). → Make It Beautiful: How To Style the Perfect Coffee Table The key to handling disparate, not-particularly-attractive elements is corral, corral, corral.

“Stuff”—we all have it. Some of us are just better at displaying ours than others. To level the playing field a bit we reached out to a bunch of decorating professionals for styling tips because you deserve to have a home that feels just right. Today, we’re talking shelfies, vignettes and coffee table tableaus; they can be tricky to nail down, but since these little decor “moments” really can set the mood in your home, the effort is worth it.

Ask any cat owner with an ounce of decor-savvy what is amongst their top “pet peeves” and litter boxes will likely be high up there (right next to surprise phantom hairballs). Most litter boxes aren’t much too easy on the eyes, and some are just crazy contraptions that forgo any apparent forethought about decor-friendliness (we did roundup our favourite cat litter boxes not that long ago, so all hope is not lost).

I was warming up to make a bunch of wagon wheel coffee table jokes — most referencing When Harry Met Sally — when I realized this is actually a mill wheel. We’ll just have to appreciate this project for what it is: an approachable, unique upcycle of a neglected old piece of equipment. Here’s how this project came to be, according to Roxanne of The Honeycomb Home: While at a flea market, an old wooden wheel caught my eye. The seller said it may have been from a grist mill.

TOP ROW:1. Before & After: Molly’s IKEA Rast Turned Campaign Chest2. Before & After: IKEA Changing Table into Home Office Desk3. Before & After: The DIY IKEA Office Organizer4. Before & After: Bet You Can’t Guess What This IKEA Malm was Converted Into5. Before & After: IKEA Malm Gets an Upholstered Ombre Makeover BOTTOM ROW:6. Before & After: Anna’s Take on the IKEA Rast7. Lizzie’s Wallpapered IKEA Lack Table8. Before & After: IKEA Granas Table Gets a Rustic Makeover9.

We’ve seen the topic of painting upholstery come up from time to time to time, but this Before & After made my jaw drop. While I may have been on the fence before — one look at the After photo and I’m a believer.the After!Given the option of spending hundreds of dollars to reupholster her Craigslist chair or experimenting with painting the fabric, Kristy Swain of Hyphen Interiors broke out the brushes.

Architectural salvage shops are increasingly popular destinations for designers, collectors, and remodelers, and for the home decorator looking for unique furnishings, there’s no better place to start a search. In part, salvage stores hold such wide appeal because the items there carry the forgotten tales of the past, and invite collectors to imagine creative reuse ideas.

Small changes can make a big difference in your space.

Your apartment. It’s not quite a dream home. The floors are terrible and the kitchen is in need of an overhaul. Your rental might not be Mr. Right, but it is Mr. Right Now. If the place you call home feels a little dated, here are some easy ways to modernize your apartment.

We like to reserve for our very last Before & After roundup the projects that really wow you. As in, these ‘after’ photos will leave you shocked. Amazed. Inspired. Take a look at some of this year’s most dramatic transformations. Click on the slideshow to see the projects. To learn more about each project (and see more pictures), click the links in the captions.

Cooler weather means wearing jeans frequently, and wearing jeans frequently means wearing jeans out more quickly than you ever thought possible. If your favorite pairs are ripping, fraying, or just showing more wear-and-tear than you’d like, these 10 DIYs will keep them functioning and looking fabulous all fall. If you want a basic fix without adding too many distracting elements (these are jeans after all), try this tutorial on how to add a denim patch inside your favorite pair.

Good design is in the details—no matter how small. Today we’re here to shine the light (pun intended) on those white plastic light switch plates that are so commonplace, they’re often overlooked as permanent fixtures. No matter what your style, we promise there’s a wall plate that complements your home design better than the existing smudge-prone standard. All you need is a screwdriver and a few bucks, so start swapping.

No soil needed.

Ready for the most elegant party trick we’ve seen in a long time? Take just one cloth napkin and a pretty napkin ring and turn them into a beautiful bow to top off your table. If you’re hosting a holiday party or a casual get-together, use this bow-shaped accent to dress up each place setting. We’re willing to bet your guests will be begging to know how you made them.

Some of my favorite before & afters are the ones where some intrepid DIYer sees the potential in a piece that everyone else would’ve left on the curb. From a side table turned pet bed to a humble crate turned into a swing, this year’s projects featured plenty of impressive repurposings. Check out some of our favorites. To view the ‘after’ photos, click the links for each project.

Over the years, we’ve shared a lot of money-saving projects, large and small. If you can make something at home easily and cheaply, why wouldn’t you? Save some cash and flex those DIY muscles with these ten ideas for things to make rather than buy, from the Apartment Therapy and Kitchn archives. Your wallet and your home will thank you. Household cleaners. Ban chemicals from your home once and for all, and save pennies too with these recipes for eco-friendly cleaning products.

This fix is cheap, easy, and super luxe-looking.

These wooden tables are the perfect natural refresh for your home design.

You'll want to steal the high-contrast color scheme for your own space.

Between beige walls, brown floor tiles, and oak wood cabinets, most rental apartments have cornered the market on neutral. If your walls are the color of a bandaid, and your landlord has no pity for your palette woes, it’s up to you to take the bull by the horns and deal with it. One of the easiest ways to combat the lack of vibrant color is with really bold bedding and artwork. You’d never walk away from Jen & Kirstie’s happy, welcoming rental and think it’s boring.

Here's proof that you don't have to bust down a wall to brighten up a dark space.

They may be some of the smallest details in a kitchen, but a change (or addition) of cabinet hardware can totally update a room’s entire look. Available in a disorienting array of finishes, shapes, sizes and materials, the sky’s the limit when it comes to choosing what to adorn your cabinet doors and drawers with. But perhaps you’re not entirely convinced that a few knobs can make a big visual difference in a kitchen? Check out the Photoshopped images below.

It’s March, which means tulips are popping up in stores everywhere. Take advantage of the tulip season, and learn the dos and don’ts for making them last longer and look their best. Plentiful clean water is pretty important to these pretty little flowers. When you’re first arranging them in their vase, re-cut each one so water has the best chance to travel up the stems.

With the warm season starting, I’ve become obsessed with all things white. So I’ve returned to my rental white walls in the bathroom, which feels so fresh and clean for summer. Check out the results below. I used the same color on the baseboard and moldings so I didn’t need to worry about that clean line of paint as the color changes (the most frustrating part of a painting job to a self-proclaimed lazy perfectionist).

Dividing walls were holding this bathroom back. Tearing them out helped it reach its open, airy potential.

It’s happened: my five-month-old has started rocking on her hands and knees and I’m well aware of the next logical step — crawling. It’s just about time to start baby-proofing the house. I’ve done it before so it shouldn’t be too difficult, but the one place that we were never able to stylishly address was the fireplace.

When Tiffany over at Taste{full} Life found this antique dry sink, the wheels started turning and she realized she had the potential for a unique changing table for her imminent new baby. Although she was wary of a “country” aesthetic, a new coat of paint and a few other touches updated this piece into modern farmhouse chic.Tiffany learned some important lessons about painting antiques that she shares in her tutorial at Taste{full} Life.

These pro picks are versatile and affordable.

I am quite envious of skilled thrifters; I’m unable to see the potential in a yard sale find or figure out what’s quality and just needs a little repair or TLC. That’s why I love seeing yard sale transformations. I have some hope that if I look at enough, the skills will magically transfer to me. So I’ve been staring at this beautiful kids’ table and chair makeover for a few days. Check out what Lolly Jane did with this well-loved table and chairs.Amazing, right?

You have to love a project that not only makes over a sad old chair but also reuses old coffee sacks. This creative re-use project not only features repurposed fabric but also looks great too! Check out the fantastic results after the jump.Many of you have seen similar chairs using grain sacks selling for a pretty penny, this step by step tutorial by Doesn’t Cost the Earth shows you how you can get the look for much less using organic coffee sacks.

Here at Apartment Therapy, we can’t get enough of Before & Afters… it’s always exciting to see something salvaged from the garbage become something lovely and shiny and useful. We salute all you DIYers out there, but we have to say we’re especially impressed with the people who are able to see special potential in a piece — and turn it into something totally different and totally useful.

Just because I’ve come to terms with my home’s imperfections doesn’t mean I don’t obsess over my inspiration boards. The latest addition is this incredible makeover of an Austin bungalow. The owners, Britt and Dan, waited five years to tackle their remodel, and the result is a beautifully modern and calm home awash in white. And yes, I’m jealous much.

Here at Apartment Therapy, we love a good IKEA hack as much as you do. It’s a comforting reminder that there are still places where ingenuity plus elbow grease with a side of using-what-you-got to #makeitwork equals a recipe for success over and over. Check out some of our favorite IKEA hacks and get inspired to find your own new possibilities… 1. Above, Before & After: Molly’s IKEA Rast Turned Campaign Chest 2. Before & After: IKEA Granas Table Gets a Rustic Makeover 3.

We’ve all heard the phrase “they don’t make ’em like they used to,” which in my experience, cannot be more true when it comes to quality-made furniture. Dovetailed drawers or burled wood veneer seems to have been replaced by the convenience of assemble-yourself, particle-board furniture. Although these pieces are affordable, the poor construction quality makes them practically disposable.

It’s funny to remember how large, bulky, yet sometimes stylish televisions were before the era of HDTVs took displays from the floor onto our walls. We still remember our childhood 80’s RCA floor console TV taking up about the same amount of room as 40″ HDTV flat panels all lined up. Sometimes you’ll still find one of these wonderful relics of TV’s past in basements, garages or thrift stores, many not in working order.

“Decorative art isn’t necessarily created just by bona fide artists. Everyday folks can get in on the action too, and make custom work for their walls. We asked our house tour residents to tell us about their DIY art projects, and the results are endlessly impressive. 1. Above, a Southwestern rug-inspired painted canvas from Kathryn & Perry’s “Have Less Do More” Apartment: My proudest DIY has got to be our little dining nook/statement art wall!

I’ve been having a bear of a time finding a set of side tables that fit next to my couch and don’t look terrible. I also love a good DIY project — especially one that can be finished over a weekend — so I was pretty excited to see this cool set of DIY side tables made from IKEA cutting boards and plumbing pipes.

If you’re not over the revamped bar cart trend yet (we’re definitely not), you’ll love this simple but sweet clean-up of a bar cart with a great shape but an older finish that needed freshening. From Alexandra: While on a weekend run to (finally) drop off some bags of clothes at the thrift store I came across this old metal kitchen cart, it was a little dingy and rusty — but I had been looking for a bar cart for some time, and at $12.50 I could not pass it up!

Since I was a child, I’ve loved Sesame Street; my parents even credit it with teaching me to read before I reached kindergarten. And I even had a similarly plain, white dresser in my room. Imagine my delight had my parents turned it into this beauty that features some favorite Sesame Street muppets!I would’ve flipped for this Sesame dresser (although back in the day, Elmo probably would’ve been Kermit), and when my kids were preschoolers, they would’ve loved it, too.

Just look at that Ikea Malm dresser all sitting there all plain and white. You just wait, Ikea Malm dresser. You have no idea what’s about to happen to you. (Hint: it involves O’verlays!)Told you so! We’re such big fans of furniture makeovers, especially when it’s more than just a coat of paint. This makeover, created by Amanda Carol, turned a blank canvas of a dresser into a super statement with Greek key shaped O’verlays that she painted gold.

At Apartment Therapy, we believe the more personal you make your space, the happier you will be in it (and that goes for the time you spend caring for the roads leading up to your space, too!). In today’s video, Grandpa Carl shows us his hand-built custom snowblower cab, which he invented and built for less than it would cost to buy one commercially.

New Orleans-based interior designer Katie Logan rents out a small apartment on the bottom floor of her house on Airbnb, and we’re awfully glad: Not only is it a relaxing place to stay in the Big Easy, it’s nice to look at! Seeing the before photos, we’re inspired by the cute space she was able to create without a lot of money or time.

We’re certainly no strangers to the versatility of the Ikea Rast around here. I even put together a post about The Endlessly Adaptable IKEA Rast Dresser last year. This $35 dresser is a DIYer’s dream and I love continuing to discover new variations. Anna took the simple little dresser and turned it into a classic nightstand…Anna recently shared her Rast customization on her blog, Take the Side Street.

The secret? Color!

While applying a new coat of paint can be a quick and easy way to make over a piece of furniture, refinishing a quality wooden piece is often worth the added time and patience. And it’s often not too hard — a little light sanding and a few simple restoring products is often all it takes to breathe new life into old pieces, and bring out the beautiful grain of wooden furniture.1. A Revamped Kitchen Table, from Door Sixteen2. An Old Dresser, Apartment Therapy3.

Here’s the unfortunate truth about 99% of all living spaces: every house and apartment—large or small—likely has something that’s weird, oddly placed, or just plain ugly. These persistent little problems (cords, vents, pipes, outlets) might drive you nuts, but stay they must, especially if you are a renter. The only solution is to get creative…. Here are ten common household eyesores, and DIY projects and ideas to help you disguise them: 1.

After moving to Saratoga Springs, NY, which is famous for its horses and horse track, Lucianna Samu became obsessed with old horse stall doors. She began collecting and refurbishing the doors for projects around the house. Below are pictures of a liquor cabinet and a kitchen pantry that Lucianna created by hanging the doors on modern sliding rails.According to Lucianna, My advice is that the lighter the door, the easier and less expensive the installation.

I just bid farewell to our last task chair review sample, noting as much as I found this and other new models comfortable in different ways, my tried and true task chair I purchased way back in 2008 keeps proving to be the most comfortable. But after years of daily use, the chair has definitely seen better days.

This redo leaves no surface untouched.

And it only takes about an hour.

This small bathroom was the only one in the house—so these DIYers knew they had to make it count.

Tired of your looking at your same old artwork? Try one of these ideas to switch up the look for free.